COVID-19 UPDATE: Latest news and campus announcements

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Here is the current information related to university operations and programs. The latest information is available on the UO COVID-19 information and our COVID-19-related FAQs.

NEW:

  • One additional University of Oregon student is determined to be a positive COVID-19 case in Eugene, for a total of 30 cases. The student is recovering in isolation. Lane County has confirmed that this case is connected to the college-age cluster reported by Lane County Public Health (LCPH). According to LCPH, this cluster has been associated with recent house party activity. LCPH officials are conducting contact tracing and monitoring for individuals associated with this positive case.
  • After recovering from COVID-19, two University of Oregon students warn others to take social distancing seriously in Around the O. The students each had mild cases but emphasized that the potential for serious harm to friends and loved ones through inadvertent exposure has been extremely sobering. Both said they’ll be making changes in their daily lives.
  • On Monday, July 6, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced upcoming changes in federal rules for international student enrollment for fall 2020. This is of great concern to the university because of the impact on international students. The Division of Global Engagement is carefully monitoring the situation and has provided a summary of the proposed rule changes as they are currently understood. Any questions can be directed to intl@uoregon.edu.
  • On Wednesday, July 15, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation will host another series of virtual town halls for members of the UO research community. These will focus on new guidance related to training members in research groups and planning for an intermediate recovery stage between stages 1 and 2. Session one will take place 9:30–10:00 a.m.; session two will be from 10:30–11:00 a.m. Registration is not required. If you are a UO affiliate and need the Zoom link, please contact vpri@uoregon.edu.
  • The EMU has resumed limited services. The food court in the Fishbowl is now open for counter service and takeout only from 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The north public areas of the ground floor are open for studying and Wi-Fi access from 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. To help students, faculty, and staff to better assess whether it is a good time to visit the EMU, we are providing an estimation of how many visitors are in the building.
  • DuckWeb and other services will be unavailable this Saturday, July 11, from 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., while Information Services performs essential maintenance.

REMINDERS:

  • The university has approved a new self-check health regulation, which outlines that students and employees should conduct a self-check daily and not come to campus if they are experiencing or have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms in the previous 72 hours. Additional information will be provided about implementation and procedures of this requirement as they are developed.
  • The best way to prevent infection of COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus in the first place. Take the following precautions:
    • Keep groups small and limited to only people you know
    • Wear masks or cloth face covering
    • Remember that exposure is defined as being within six feet of another for 15 minutes
    • Keep six feet of distance between yourself and others
    • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after touching common surfaces
    • Don’t share drinks, vapes, or utensils

RESOURCES:

GENERAL INFORMATION:

  • The Oregon Health Authority reports 10,817 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in the state, 253 cases in Lane County, 2,608 in Multnomah County, and 48 in Coos County on July 8. There are 30 members of the UO community who have tested positive or are presumptive positive.
  • The university continues to work in close coordination with the Oregon Health Authority and our companion institutions and agencies. Additional resources are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Oregon Health Authority, and your health care provider.
  • As a reminder, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Centers for Disease Control outlines some general precautions to minimize the spread of respiratory diseases. 

The UO is providing biweekly COVID-19 updates, on Mondays and Thursdays. Urgent information will be shared through direct emails.

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